Apple on Wednesday released a host of Mac OS X updates, including 10.7.3 Lion and Lion Server, which brings various system improvements and expanded language support along with Safari 5.1.3, a new version of Sever Admin Tools, fixes for Apple Remote Desktop and security updates for Snow Leopard.

Mac OS X 10.7 Lion Client

Updates to Apple's newest operating system mainly look to fix existing problems to offer more stability, compatibility and security, but a host of new features is also offered like support for a number of new languages, Wi-Fi connectivity fixes and Windows file sharing compatibility among others.

Another main component of the update is fixes to directory services, which adds improved reliability of Dynamic DNS updates and other Active Directory tweaks.

A full list of system improvements is outlined below:

Add Catalan, Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian language support
Address issues when using smart cards to log into OS X
Address compatibility issues with Microsoft Windows file sharing
Address an issue printing Microsoft Word documents that use markup
Address a graphics performance issue after sleep on some earlier iMacs that use ATI graphics
Resolve a Wi-Fi connection issue when waking from sleep
Address an issue that may prevent Safari from opening before joining a wireless network
Fix a potential issue authenticating to an SMB DFS share
Include RAW image compatibility for additional digital cameras

Directory Serivices

Improve binding to read-only Active Directory Domain Controllers
Improve binding and login speed for Active Directory users in a domain whose name ends in ".local"
Improve reliability of Dynamic DNS (DDNS) updates by Active Directory clients
Allow login with an Active Directory username that contains a space
Improve compatibility with Active Directory schemas that have been extended with the "apple-user-homeDirectory" and "apple-user-homeurl" attributes
Fix home directory Dock item for Active Directory users with mobile accounts
Allow NIS users with MD5-hashed passwords to log in

Along with the updates to the Client version, the Mac OS X Lion Server update brings fixes and features to the server side of the operating system, including file sharing and VPN server app improvements, enhancements to the web and Wiki server applications and updates to the profile manager. Beyond the new components, various bug fixes and security upgrades were added.

The Mac OS X Lion Server update is 1 GB, while the Server Combo version comes in at 1.34 GB, and both require Lion 10.7.

Released alongside the Lion Server update is a refresh of Apple's Server Admin Tools, which adds supplementary applications for use with the Mac OS X server. New versions of Podcast Composer, Server Admin, Server Monitor, System Image Utility, Workgroup Manager and Xgrid Admin are included in the 202.59 MB update. Mac OS X Lion or Lion Server are required.

Apple's Remote Desktop Client received improvements in screen sharing authentication when using Kerberos or when authenticating as a user with no password and a fix regarding the control of a remote computer with two displays when the primary display is on the right.

On a side note: How is this a 10.7.X update? It is pretty pathetic- yet its a huge update (730mb). Some underlying stuff that isn't public yet? I thought it was supposed to address iWork, iCal, Address Book, etc.

On a side note: How is this a 10.7.X update? It is pretty pathetic- yet its a huge update (730mb). Some underlying stuff that isn't public yet? I thought it was supposed to address iWork, iCal, Address Book, etc.

It appears to include a new version of Safari, as well.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

As I stated above, I tried using Software Update and nothing showed up. I'm downloading the combo update now.

A couple of possibilities:
(1) restart your computer into recovery mode (hold down COMMAND and R keys through the restart, letting go once the Apple logo / spinning gear shows on the screen) and then use Disk Utility to repair the "Macintosh HD" volume.

if you can then install the update after this, we're done. if repairs fail, go to the Genius Bar for help. if repair is successful but the problem remains, the likely possibility is some kind of partition error on the startup drive, possibly due to either current or previous use of Boot Camp, or possibly because you're using PGP disk encryption on the boot volume. if it's a partitioning problem, you can remove the Boot Camp/Windows partition and then rebuild it after updating the OS (if you have Boot Camp) or restart into recovery mode again and try resizing the "Macintosh HD" volume using Disk Utility (make it at least 1GB larger than it currently is). if it's a PGP issue, turn off disk encryption.

A couple of possibilities:
(1) restart your computer into recovery mode (hold down COMMAND and R keys through the restart, letting go once the Apple logo / spinning gear shows on the screen) and then use Disk Utility to repair the "Macintosh HD" volume.

if you can then install the update after this, we're done. if repairs fail, go to the Genius Bar for help. if repair is successful but the problem remains, the likely possibility is some kind of partition error on the startup drive, possibly due to either current or previous use of Boot Camp, or possibly because you're using PGP disk encryption on the boot volume. if it's a partitioning problem, you can remove the Boot Camp/Windows partition and then rebuild it after updating the OS (if you have Boot Camp) or restart into recovery mode again and try resizing the "Macintosh HD" volume using Disk Utility (make it at least 1GB larger than it currently is). if it's a PGP issue, turn off disk encryption.

or, just book a Genius Bar appointment for help.

My combo download is still going to take another hour to finish. If that doesn't work, I'll try the recovery suggestion.

But I will add, I don't use Boot Camp and don't have anything partitioned. I also don't use any encryption.

The funny thing is, I just downloaded the latest Airport Utility through Software Update a few days ago and had no problems installing that.

I guess it shouldn't make any difference; regardless of what Apple tells us an update does, whether it addresses an issue we're having or not, they insist there are all kinds of unlisted changes and we would be stupid not to trust them, even if we've been burned by updates in the past. All it does is make me more mistrustful. They need to stop treating customers as afterthoughts.

I guess it shouldn't make any difference; regardless of what Apple tells us an update does, whether it addresses an issue we're having or not, they insist there are all kinds of unlisted changes and we would be stupid not to trust them, even if we've been burned by updates in the past. All it does is make me more mistrustful. They need to stop treating customers as afterthoughts.

"In a perfect world humans would co-exist harmoniously like a rainbow. A multitude of colors. Each layer vibrant and clear and alone, but in unison breathtaking."

So the first two systems I tried it on - a Mac Mini (client) and a Mac Mini (Server) both got to installing and then stopped with an error message about package could not be expanded so install can be tried again next time software update is run.

This may have resolved a networking issue I had. At least in the sense of trying to connect via Wifi at one location I frequent.

Maybe it is me but I think teminal now has new themes or window appearances to choose from.

On my early 2008 MBP it seems to have resolved a responsiveness problem with user interface menu items. Need a longer run to verify this, but that lag was terrible at times.

It has only been a few minutes though, need more time to digest what is going on here but it does feel a bit better on my old hardware. Really though don't knock updates, they always seem to fix a few things that aren't even noted in the release notes.